BUM 2011 forum this Saturday
PRESS RELEASE
Bloggers Universe Malaysia (BUM) is belatedly commemorating World Press Freedom Day with a forum by popular speakers.
The ‘Bloggers’ solidarity with the press?’ will feature:
- Cheam Toon Lee – former editor-in-chief who had served in Sabah/Sarawak,
- Zunar as Malaysiakini cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque is better known,
- Ambiga Sreenevasan – Bersih 2.0 chairperson and ex-Bar Council president,
- Hata Wahari – former National Union of Journalists president until his employer Utusan Malaysia sacked him recently.
Selangor state assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad will give the keynote address on ‘Legislating freedom of information act in parliament”.
The event is co-organised by a group of bloggers in their individual capacities, the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, and the Centre for Policy Initiatives.
CPI director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said that with the political environment becoming more hotly contested and the mainstream media working overtime as cheerleader and fear leader for the establishment, it is vital that bloggers and those with integrity in the mass media quickly close ranks and provide Malaysians with truthful, fair and objective news and analysis.
“I hope this forum will serve to galvanise media practitioners and bloggers to reassert their adherence to the norms of journalistic ethics and independent reporting,” Lim added.
BUM2011 organising committee chairman YL Chong aka Desiderata said this year’s event almost never got off the ground as the Sarawak state elections came in April and interrupted the preparations. The BUM gatherings in previous years were all held in the month of May.
“Nevertheless, I was motivated to press ahead after learning about Hata Wahari’s plight. His sacking explains the theme for our fifth BUM outing,” he added.
Admission to the forum is free and open to the public.
Date: June 11, 2011
Time: 7.45pm
Venue: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall auditorium (1, Jalan Maharajalela)
More background and updates on the event are posted at the BUM dedicated website bum4msia.wordpress.com.
Contact person: YL Chong at 012-970 2285.
